Today had been even busier than yesterday, and Julia felt as if she could fall asleep right where she was standing. Having originally planned to go straight home to her warm apartment and curl up on the couch in front of a funny movie, coffee sounded good given the circumstances. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJJPgKQny3
"Be careful, okay?" Dave had warned her. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡou9Fpy15i6
"I will," Julia said with a weary laugh, despite the fact his face looked "as serious as a heart attack," as her mother always said. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqm25HkxqVl
When she got in her car, she tuned the radio to the loudest rock station she could find. It may not be all that pleasant to her ears, but it would keep her awake until she reached the cafe. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBeAiDUTRY
After finding a parking space and turning the car off, she opened her glove compartment and stared at the sharp steak knife, unable to get Dave's words out of her mind. Dr. Crane would never hurt me, and besides, if I was caught with one of these things in here... 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojWyoCkEE8
Julia took one look at the coffee shop, and another look at the streets around her. But then again, in a place like Gotham, who knows when you might need it? Nobody said I'd actually use it on HIM. She subtly pocketed the knife in one of the spacious pockets of her doctor's coat, cushioning it with a couple of tissues so it wouldn't show through the material, and entered the coffee shop. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMy5km6RdDV
She found Dr. Crane easily, since he was the only customer at the moment wearing a suit. He nodded to her, and she joined him after ordering herself an espresso. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXp9effOwWj
"You've probably had a lot of questions lately, Julia," Dr. Crane began, taking a sip of his own coffee. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI6l0DCtXE
"But that doesn't make what I did today right," she said guiltily. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyliaMDW1s
"Well, either way, you'll have your answers. So, go ahead, ask me a question." He raised his eyebrows expectantly. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtI21KbIfEH
His eyes seemed to twinkle slightly, but that was probably just Julia's imagination. "Well...first off, I was kind of wondering about what I found earlier--that burlap material sticking out of your breifcase." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkz7Vs4UzQJ
His eyes twinkled even more, and Julia realized it hadn't been her imagination so much. "I was hoping you would ask that, since that is why we're here," he said. "That material is actually my mask." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACEsKX2ZZg
"Your...what?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡau7ouBDaAK
"My mask. I often use it as a form of therapy when I go in to talk to the patients." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8RYM0MNOl
Julia laughed. "Come on now. Halloween was over weeks ago." But she clamped her mouth shut when she saw that he didn't laugh in return. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx32azLmgu
Dr. Crane shrugged. "I know that it would seem...ludicrous to a lot of people, but it's actually very effective. They know their own fears more than they ever have." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVz1V0EjLq1
But why would he want to enhance their fears? "Oh... Maybe I do understand now. It provides a form of ventilation for them, right?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiCvT6sKYf
"Well, if you wanted to call it that, I guess you could. I could show you how it works later, if you'd like." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiopk5IYtLw
Julia hesitated, but then nodded. "Sure. A picture's worth a thousand words. But...you mean tonight?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bHuxvZymr
"No time like the present," he said simply. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6ocZxf5nD
She was starting to feel a lot better since that coffee kicked in... "I guess so," she said gamely, and she was glad she could rest assured that Dr. Crane really did know what he was doing and that the patients were probably just letting their feelings out. At least that's what she hoped was the case. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdNM887VPK
"Only it can't be here," he said, lowering his voice. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2FcmnayZg
"Why not?" Julia asked. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyolKWFxP7z
"You know how people are these days." He looked off to the side at other customers nearby to prove his point. "They could think I was hurting you or...you know. Better to be safe than sorry." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECaU4zqF9N
"Right..." She patted the knife in her pocket under the table--just in case, she'd said. Just in case. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqypN0OPeKP
"But before we do, any more questions in particular?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYTDESyAW0
"Yes, actually," Julia said with an almost nervous laugh, trying to relax. That coffee may have done too good a job of perking her up. "I mean, not that there's anything wrong with this, but...what made fear such an interest for you?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiwek9x8Pz
He sighed, but she knew it wasn't from frustration or exasperation--just something he did whenever he was deep in thought. Then he explained to her about how he was an illegitimate child raised by his religious zealot grandmother, who would physically and mentally abuse him on a regular basis. He'd also been the victim of constant teasing at school because of his spindly frame and the old-fashioned clothing his grandmother made him wear. "I recall that 'Scarecrow' was their favorite name for me, but there were many others." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwFtfbDTJS
Julia had a hard time swallowing her last sips of espresso. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71Uy1nqJXd
"Fear is the main factor in abusive situations, but it was an emotion I came to accept," Dr. Crane went on, as calm as could be. "I told myself I would never be afraid of or give in to another human being as long as I lived." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6TA5ZIDfo
"Doctor...I'm sorry." She was so disturbed by his story that she reached across the table and gave his hand a squeeze. She wanted to go back to her car and put that knife away--or better yet break it in half, if she could do such a thing. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MdtDBVeaG
Dr. Crane smiled at her and squeezed back. "Just say Jonathan. We're not at work, after all." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KauFaV7ty
Julia couldn't stop a bit of a smile from crossing her face. Maybe, just maybe, she really did feel a little more than just curiosity towards him. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8WCcu8Xky
Jonathan finished his coffee, then exhaled contentedly. "So does that answer everything?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAM93HcsxV
"I think so," Julia nodded slowly. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOR7QMjs4b
"But what about you, Julia?" 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLWRkJB5eX
"Me? What do you--"745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡan6Mr204r0
"What are you afraid of?" He leaned forward on his knuckles. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUnHrwHnCi
She could answer that right away. "Carousel horses--especially at night. There's just something about their painted faces and wild eyes that makes them look...bloodthirsty. And I'm also terrified of heights." 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbvme3dZeq
Jonathan nodded understandingly. After a thoughtful pause he said, "We'd best head out, then. We'll just take my car." He hadn't asked her, but simply stated it. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7fITg1A4w
As they walked out of the heated building and into the cold windy night, Julia began to wonder if she wanted to see this little demonstration of his after all. 745Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUpCp0ktyn
She would have to make a decision about whether or not to trust him, and make it fast.
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